Memory
by MisfiredSynapse
Summary: He tried to remember, he really did. But all he saw was the slamming door and darkness, and he couldn't even make sense of them in his own mind, so how was he supposed to explain to DG that he was chasing ghosts through his memories? -GlitchxUnnamedOC-


_One shot, GlitchxOC, unnamed. Angsty and melancholy. Hopefully enjoyable nonetheless. xMS_

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**_Memory_**

_A laugh, turn towards the sound, a smile on his face- _he turned over in his sleep, reaching out for that sound of pure joy- _a hand in his, the skin soft and the fingers delicate, both stained with ink and grease- _he grasped hold of the nearest thing he could, his own jacket bunched under his head, and held on- _a smile, a flash of white teeth in a face smeared with paint of every colour- _he smiled despite himself, some part of him knowing he would regret smiling at the sight- _a punch to his upper arm, he flinched though it didn't hurt, pouting- _he jerked, rubbing his arm to soothe the feigned hurt- _running, chasing... falling behind... a door slammed, he threw it open- darkness. _He jolted awake, sweaty and bone-achingly tired with a strange moisture in his eyes. He raised a head to his forehead to soothe the pain blossoming beneath his temples, though it wouldn't do much until his brain reset itself and he forgot he had a headache in the first place.

"Glitch?" a sleepy voice came from beside him, and he looked down to see DG peering up at him through heavy, half-lidded eyes. She was using Cain's duster as a blanket, the man himself as a pillow, and despite her concern for him she still smiled at the Tin Man allowing her that close. Glitch smiled at her and adjusted the coat over both the sleeping cop and the shifting Princess, shaking his head.

"I'll tell you later," he assured her quietly, his voice cracking as he knew he never would. He had almost come to be able to predict his glitches now, the regular ones- like, if he stared at something too long, or repeated himself too much so the words sounded like something other than what he originally meant to say, and that was what he ended up talking about. DG shuffled into a sitting position, petting Cain's hand when it tightened around her shoulder, and stayed where she was half-leaning against the Tin Man.

"You're crying," she pointed out, and he sniffled lightly before wiping at his eyes, indeed surprised to find that she was right. She smiled sadly, leaning forward to grasp his other hand in the darkness. "What's wrong?"

He tried to remember, he really did. But all he saw was the slamming door and darkness, and he couldn't even make sense of them in his own mind, so how was he supposed to explain to DG that he was chasing ghosts through his mind? He shook his head again and shrugged, opening his mouth to tell her at least that much, and he saw this glitch coming before it struck. "I think we've met before," he said brightly, smiling at her. DG blinked and moved her hand to his shoulder, having to stretch as Cain wasn't letting her go too far.

"It's DG, remember?" she whispered. He stared hard at her and after a moment, everything clicked into place.

"Oh! Of- of course- hey Deej?" he asked, bringing his hand away from his eyes as though he'd just noticed it was there. She raised an eyebrow as he stared at the appendage, and the moisture gathered on it. He was aware of the strain on his voice and the tightness of his throat, signs of grief. "Why am I crying?"

"I'm not sure, Glitch," she murmured, her voice sounding sadder than ever before. She hadn't seemed this upset, not even when they saw Azkadellia kill her, or when she found out that her parents weren't really her parents, or when they- "You were dreaming. Muttering in your sleep, laughing. You woke up crying."

"I wonder what I was dreaming about?" he mused, more to himself than to DG. She released him and settled against the tree beside Cain, close enough to the blonde man to share his duster as a blanket but with a distance between them that showed they were just friends. Glitch didn't know much, but he had an inkling that they wouldn't be 'just friends' for much longer.

"I don't know," DG murmured, her blinks becoming longer and her breathing deeper. "But you seemed happy... until the end bit."

"Happy," Glitch mouthed, the word sounding foreign on his tongue. He almost knew why he shouldn't feel upset about feeling happy, but then the idea slipped away like water through a sieve with too many holes. He looked up to ask DG if she had any theories, but she was clearly asleep. Glitch sighed and looked up at the moons shining through the trees. Cain had picked a spectacular camping spot, just the right amount of light and darkness.

DG's hand in Cain's shone lightly in the moonlight, and Glitch was aware of someone else with a glowing hand telling him what that meant- _it means I love you, I love you..._

Glitch settled back in the mossy ground, wriggling until he was comfortable. He was used to sleeping outside now, far more used to it than he was to beds. _I love you. _The words were familiar. The voice was familiar; a name rested on the tip of his tongue and he took a breath to try and say it. He wasn't sure what it was, but he hoped that just _wanting _to say it would be enough for it to come out.

He held his breath a moment longer than necessary, concentrating on that ghost of a memory of a voice. Finally, he let it out in one long whoosh; nothing. He tried not to feel disappointed as he closed his eyes against the renewed burn of tears, telling himself that he couldn't be dwelling on dreams when tomorrow, they were heading further south to find Ahamo. Glitch felt his mood considerably brightened by that fact; he always did like to be on the road, and questing with DG was always fun. He told his memories- what fragmented few remained- that he would dwell on them later, and slipped gently back into slumber.

This time, he didn't dream.


End file.
